Two neighbours were having an argument. One of them, an unbeliever, owned two huge grape plantations surrounded by date palms, between which were corn fields and a river. His land was fertile, and he was also bestowed more sons than his neighbour, a believer. The rich unbeliever boasted about his abundance, denying the existence of the Day of Judgement, whilst mocking the believer for his belief in an unseen Lord.

The believer, whilst acknowledging his inferiority in terms of produce and progeny, reminded the unbeliever of how Allah had created him from a mere drop of sperm, and how inappropriate it was for him to deny his Lord after he had been bestowed so much. He humbly remarked that he was happy with Allah’s Will in giving him less, and for him, it was more important for him and his family to be under Allah’s protection, than in having material excesses.

The unbeliever, looking at the huge expanse of his land, and the many men who toiled it, firmly believed that he was in no need of any such Divine protection, and that his wealth would never perish.

His believing neighbour said, “MashaAllah, la quwwata illa billah,” which means, “Allah’s Will (be done)! There is no power but with Allah!”

That night, the unbeliever’s plantation was struck by lightning and razed to the ground. The river that used to water it disappeared, the land was shaken and destroyed, and nothing remained of it by morning. It was completely devastated. Amazingly, the believer’s garden and home, which was just beside the annihilated plantation, remained intact and protected!